The Steelworkers Humanity Fund’s report,“Not Even the Bare Minimum” explores the wages and living conditions of Bangladesh’s garment sector, which employs a majority of women, making clothes in factories supplying Canadian brands and fashion retailers.

The research, undertaken by a Dhaka-based researcher, identified factories that produce for Canadian brands and retailers, and conducted interviews of 35 workers employed in a sample of nine factories located in the industrial belts surrounding the Bangladeshi capital and the port city of Chittagong.

The report concludes that Canadian garment companies are no different than other global brands as they seek to minimize the cost of production, at the expense of decent work, and calls on Canadian brands to publicly acknowledge that they have a responsibility for workers employed in their supply chains and to make public commitments to paying living wages in Bangladesh and throughout their supply chains.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited 13 brands and suppliers named in the report to respond to the allegations. Canadian Tire Corporation/Mark's, Lululemon, Youngone, Ananta Garments, Patriot Eco Apparels, and Islam Garments Ltd. responded and their responses are available below.

Joe Fresh, Hudson’s Bay, ACS Textiles, Eurotex Knitwear Ltd., Sigma Fashions Ltd., Safaa Sweater Ltd., Standard Stitches Ltd., did not respond.